Signs he's ready to settle down

Stephanie Taylor Christensen writes about personal finance, small business, and consumer issues. She is the founder of Om for Mom Prenatal Yoga and Toning in Columbus, OH and Wellness On Less, a site dedicated to prioritized living and c...

Is your man thinking about forever?

You may be ready to put a ring on it — but is he? Relationship experts weigh in on how to know if commitment is on his mind.

Figuring out whether your man is ready to settle down is no easy feat. After all, his age, income and previous relationships really aren't predictors of whether a man is ready to call off his search for the one. How's a girl to know whether the relationship has a future? We tapped the minds of two expert dating coaches for a little "he said/she said" perspective on signs that he's ready to settle down.

She says

April Beyer, a Los Angeles-based dating expert of Beyer & Company, a personal matchmaking and relationship coaching firm, says that all six of these clues give insight as to whether your man is ready to settle down -- and that you're the one he's ready to settle with.

He enjoys talking to you about the future -- next week, next year and beyond.

He feels like he's dated enough women -- and feels confident he has played the field long enough to know what he wants and needs.

He feels great about his career and position in life. Beyer explains that the modern man tends to put off marriage until he feels he can give you emotional and financial security.

He's over the ex-girlfriend/wife. How you can tell? There are no more tears, conversations or anger about how she wronged him. His feelings towards his past relationships are very neutral.

He asks to see you as much as possible. Beyer says that men who are ready to settle down want to do more than just go out on a Saturday night. They want to be with you for daily activities, and they will carve out the time to meet you mid-week for a movie, coffee or dinner.

The games are over. Stop telling yourself the games are a sign of a passionate relationship. "Marriage minded men ask to see you again while they are out with you. They don't wait weeks to get back in touch," says Beyer.

Expert tip

Just because a man has a great education and a wonderful career does not mean he is marriage minded. Men must be emotionally mature, along with the sense they have accomplished their career goals. From: April Beyer, a Los Angeles-based dating expert of Beyer & Company, a personal matchmaking and relationship coaching firm.

He says

He'd rather stay in on a Friday night than go party with his buddies. He's ready to settle down if his idea of fun becomes more about you, and less about guzzling beers or watching the game. That's not to say he should give up his boy time completely -- but when you're the most appealing prospect, more often than not, you've got a man who is ready to settle down.

He introduces you to his extended family. "It's one thing if you meet the parents, but meeting extended family communicates a whole new level of commitment," explains LoDolce.

He wants to get a pet. Not only do pets require the two of you start to share responsibility, related expenses and nurturing moments, they're as close to a test-drive toward family life as the dating world can offer.